Lecture 10:

Pathology of Liver
Cirrhosis
Done by: Mojahed Otayf
Revised by: Nada dawood

Team leader:
Abdulrahman Al-Thaqib
 Objectives

• Define Cirrhosis.

• Recognize the types of cirrhosis.

• Recognize the major causes and the pathological mechanisms leading to cirrhosis.

• Describe the pathological findings in cirrhotic livers

Contact us: Liver Cirrhosis by

Pathology433@gmail.com Armando Hasudungan

@pathology433
Cirrhosis
Definition: the end-stage of chronic liver disease

Classification of cirrhosis: based on the etiology:

- Alcoholic liver disease “Most common cause” 60% to 70%

- Chronic Viral hepatitis 10%
- Biliary diseases “like obstruction by gall stones” 5% to 10%
- Primary hemochromatosis “accumulation of iron” 5%
- Wilson disease “accumulation of copper” Rare
- α1-Antitrypsin deficiency Rare
- Cryptogenic cirrhosis “cryptogenic means idiopathic” 10% to 15%
- galactosemia and tyrosinosis “in infants and children”
- drug-induced cirrhosis.
- Cardiac cirrhosis “ cardiac disease cause stasis in the blood for long time will cause stimulation of
Fibroblast”

Fate of liver cirrhosis: irreversible

Treatment: Liver transplantation

Features of cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is defined by three characteristics:
1) Diffused Fibrosis (key feature) in the form of delicate bands or broad scars/septa
2) Nodules containing regenerating hepatocytes encircled by fibrosis
3) Disruption of the vascular architecture* of the entire liver

Macronodular cirrhosis: The Micronodular cirrhosis: The Regenerative nodules of

nodules seen here are larger nodules are quite small, hepatocytes are surrounded by
than 3 mm. averaging less than 3 mm in fibrous connective tissue that
size. Usually in Chronic bridges between portal tracts.
alcoholism.

* (the parenchymal damage and scarring, with the formation of abnormal

interconnections between vascular inflow and hepatic vein outflow channels).
Pathogenesis of cirrhosis
First we have to know that normally liver contains:
- I and III collagens are concentrated in portal tracts and around central vein
-IV collagen (reticulin) is in the space of Disse*.

Then due to damage of liver that will lead to stimulation of collagen

synthesis by:
1- the perisinusoidal stellate cells * ( Ito cells) activate and become myofibroblast-
like cells. “major cause”
2- Cytokine production by activated endogenous cells (Kupffer cells, endothelial
cells, hepatocytes, and bile duct epithelial cells).
3- Disruption of the normal extracellular matrix.

Finally loss of fenestrations in the sinusoidal endothelial cells

(capillarization of sinusoids, that is the sinusoidal space comes to resemble a capillary
rather than a channel for exchange of solutes between hepatocytes and plasma).

* The space separating sinusoids from hepatocytes.

* Stellate cells lie in the space of Disse. Although normally functioning as vitamin A fat-storing
cells.
Clinical features of cirrhosis
- All forms of cirrhosis may be
clinically silent.
- nonspecific clinical
manifestations: anorexia, weight
loss, osteoporosis, and in advanced
disease, frank debilitation “general
weakness”.
- Jaundice.

* The ultimate mechanism of most

cirrhotic deaths is:
1. progressive liver failure ,
2. complication related to portal
hypertension “most common”
3. development of hepatocellular
carcinoma “rare”
Chronic Hepatitis
Staging and grading help to know the prognosis and severity of
the disease:
- Portal tract Inflammation (grading):
Grade I: in portal tracts
Grade II: in parenchyma, with necrosis of hepatocytes ("interface hepatitis")

- Fibrosis (staging):
Continued loss of hepatocytes results in fibrous septa formation which ultimately
leads to cirrhosis
Stage I: Begin at portal tracts
Stage II: Bridging between portal tracts only
Stage III: Bridging between portal tracts and central vein
Stage IV: Nodules formation

In Hepatitis B: "ground-glass" hepatocytes, "sanded" nuclei

In Hepatitis C: bile duct damage, lymphoid aggregate formation
Alcoholic liver disease
- Exposure of alcohol may leads to steatosis first then with
Continues exposure of alcohol may end-up with cirrhosis.
- Severe exposure of alcohol may leads to hepatitis first then with
repeated attacks of hepatitis it will cause liver cirrhosis
Morphology

Macrovesicular steatosis.
The intracytoplasmic fat is seen Eosinophilic Mallory bodies
as clear vacuoles (classical are seen in hepatocytes
feature of alcoholism)

Note: collagen can be seen as blue-stained under microscope by

(Masson trichrome stain)
Summary from Robbins